Two ferries lie idle for four years

The ferry services across the river Gorai at Langalbandh point in Jhenidah have remained suspended after a brief start four years ago to ease communication for thousands of people of four districts on the other side. Two ferries, ferry bridges and pontoons worth Tk60 to Tk65 crores are getting damaged as they are lying idle without maintenance for years. Subrata Datta, executive engineer of RHD in Magura, said they could not start the ferry service as the ministry concerned did not approve plying of the two ferries and fix toll rates for the purpose.   He said the ferries, ferry bridges and pontoons are now getting damaged without maintenance for years. As a result, thousands of passengers from Jhenidah, Magura, Rajbari and Kushtia districts cross the mighty Gorai River on country boats amid risk as two ferries have been lying idle at Langalbandh Bazaar terminal.
  “We don’t know when the ferry service will start and when our sorrows will end. The authorities have no responsibility to start the service though four years have gone,” said one resident at Langalbandh area in Shailkupa upazila.
In 1997-98, Roads and Highways Department (RHD sent a ferry at Langalbandh bazaar for improvement of communication among the four districts. But for unknown reason there was no pontoon set at that point. As a result, the ferry was kept idle for long and damaged.
 In 2012, the authorities again sent two ferries with two ferry bridges and two pontoons for plying from Langalbandh Bazaar to the other side of the Gorai River in Sreepur upazila of Magura and posted a driver and an assistant there about four years ago, but no regular service across the river is yet to strat.  According to businessmen and public representatives, the ferries were supposed to carry vehicles, including buses and trucks, and people from and to Jhenidah, Magura, Rajbari, Faridpur, Kushtia and Dhaka would greatly ease road communications in the areas.  Driver of a ferry Mozammel Haque said at the beginning one of the ferries functioned for seven days, carrying thousands of people and a good number of vehicles across the river, but suddenly the service came to a halt. He said five to six thousand people cross the river on boats daily taking life risk. The number of passengers rises to 15,000- 20,000 on weekly market days on Sunday and Thursday.  A student of Langalbandh Degree College said the students have to cross the river regularly amid risk to attend classes.

Two ferries lie idle for four years

The ferry services across the river Gorai at Langalbandh point in Jhenidah have remained suspended after a brief start four years ago to ease communication for thousands of people of four districts on the other side. Two ferries, ferry bridges and pontoons worth Tk60 to Tk65 crores are getting damaged as they are lying idle without maintenance for years. Subrata Datta, executive engineer of RHD in Magura, said they could not start the ferry service as the ministry concerned did not approve plying of the two ferries and fix toll rates for the purpose. He said the ferries, ferry bridges and pontoons are now getting damaged without maintenance for years. As a result, thousands of passengers from Jhenidah, Magura, Rajbari and Kushtia districts cross the mighty Gorai River on country boats amid risk as two ferries have been lying idle at Langalbandh Bazaar terminal. We dont know when the ferry service will start and when our sorrows will end. The authorities have no responsibility to start the service though four years have gone, said one resident at Langalbandh area in Shailkupa upazila. In 1997-98, Roads and Highways Department (RHD sent a ferry at Langalbandh bazaar for improvement of communication among the four districts. But for unknown reason there was no pontoon set at that point. As a result, the ferry was kept idle for long and damaged. In 2012, the authorities again sent two ferries with two ferry bridges and two pontoons for plying from Langalbandh Bazaar to the other side of the Gorai River in Sreepur upazila of Magura and posted a driver and an assistant there about four years ago, but no regular service across the river is yet to strat. According to businessmen and public representatives, the ferries were supposed to carry vehicles, including buses and trucks, and people from and to Jhenidah, Magura, Rajbari, Faridpur, Kushtia and Dhaka would greatly ease road communications in the areas. Driver of a ferry Mozammel Haque said at the beginning one of the ferries functioned for seven days, carrying thousands of people and a good number of vehicles across the river, but suddenly the service came to a halt. He said five to six thousand people cross the river on boats daily taking life risk. The number of passengers rises to 15,000- 20,000 on weekly market days on Sunday and Thursday. A student of Langalbandh Degree College said the students have to cross the river regularly amid risk to attend classes.